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Money For Ropes!

2


The next morning, Frank woke with a smile on his face. He'd dreamed about that gorgeous boy and the delicious noises he'd made...and had his first wet dream since he was a teenager. Grimacing slightly at the sticky mess he'd made of his sheets...he'd wash them later...Frank kicked them off and climbed out of bed.


Being Saturday, Frank didn't have to go into the studio today, though he would probably drop by later just to make sure everything was running smoothly, and that his new manager Ray wasn't fucking things up too badly. But he trusted the curly-haired man, as he had run Blanco Records in New York for 12 years before moving to Jersey, so Frank wasn't too bothered.


No, today he'd decided to visit his three tattoo parlours that were in Belleville, and maybe the two in Nutley if he had the time, and if none of his artists had a spare couple hours to start his new piece. He'd been wanting to get this done for ages, but he never seemed to have the time.


Walking into his large, beautifully appointed bathroom, Frank turned on the shower, then turned to look in the mirror as he waited for the water to heat up.

His dark brown hair could do with a cut now as it was almost touching his shoulders, and he mentally reminded himself to make an appointment with Lexy to get it done. Otherwise, he thought he didn't look that bad. His skin was clear and still slightly bronzed from that trip he took to Hawaii last month, his eyes were bright and not shadowed by fatigue, and his lips looked smooth and soft, and not like he'd been chewing them from the stress, that he definitely felt.

He could probably do with loosing an inch or two around his middle, as he didn't believe his mum for one second when she said it was "puppy fat", and that he'd "grow out of it"...he was 28 for God sake...way past being a "puppy", if you asked him.


Sighing, and deciding that his waistline could be tomorrow's problem, Frank turned from the now slightly steamed mirror and stepped into the hot spray.


The water felt glorious on his skin, and Frank groaned in pleasure as it hit the tight muscles of his shoulders and back. As his hands slid over his slick skin, he remembered how Party Poison's hands had done the same last night...and he started to get hard. Frank wasn't in any sort of rush today, so he had time to take care of his little...problem.


Half an hour later, clean and relaxed, Frank turned off the shower and stepped out, grabbing a large red towel and drying himself off lazily.

He walked back into his bedroom and over to the walk-in closet that took up most of one wall. Opening it, he frowned seeing Bob's half still empty. Turning toward his own neatly organised side, Frank selected a pair of ripped-up black jeans and a t-shirt from one of his more successful band's latest tours. He grabbed a pair of socks and his scruffiest red Converse, then left the walk-in and closed the door.


During his Monday to Friday work week, Frank would usually be more smartly dressed than this, though he never wore a suit. He would mostly wear smart black jeans and a plain button-up shirt, just in case he had a meeting to attend, but on the weekends he would always go back to his punk roots, whether he was going into work or not.


After pulling on his clothes...forgoing underwear as he was prone to do on the weekends...Frank looked in the full-length mirror and ruffled his damp hair with his fingertips, before grabbing his eyeliner and swiping a line along each of his water lines, then smudging them a little with his index finger.

Once he was satisfied with how he looked, he picked up his cellphone, keys and wallet from the dresser in the corner, and left his room.


After a quick breakfast of coffee and cold toast, Frank brushed his teeth, checked he had everything he'd need for the day, then left the house.


Frank drove down to the first tattoo shop in his shiny black Mustang. The streets were fairly clear for a Saturday morning, so he made it to his Washington Avenue shop before his staff had even arrived. Deciding against letting himself in and sitting around waiting for them, Frank crossed the street and went into a little coffee house that he'd been in many times before on his trips to this side of town.


The bell over the door rang as he entered, and his favourite barista looked up from cleaning the counter, a smile spreading on his young face when he saw who his first customer of the day was.


"Hi Frank...you're early today!"


Frank grinned back, sliding onto one of the stools and leaning his elbows on the counter.


"Morning Mikey. Am I your first customer?"


Mikey nodded.


"Yeah, but I'm expecting my brother any minute now...unless he flakes on me again."


Mikey looked down and muttered the last, though Frank still heard him.


"I'm sure he'll come today Mikey...and maybe I'll finally get to meet this wonderful brother you never stop talking about..."


Frank chuckled.


"Y'know, I was kinda starting to believe you made him up."


"No..."


Mikey laughed, starting Frank's coffee without needing to ask what he wanted.


"No, he's real...he just doesn't visit half as much as I'd like him to..."


Mikey sighed sadly.


"He always has an excuse."


Frank had been coming in here on and off for the past two years, and even though he'd heard lots of stories about this legendary brother, he was yet to see any evidence of his actual existence. Mikey placed Frank's strong black coffee in front of him and looked toward the door as the bell rang. Frank saw him visibly deflate when Corey...one of Frank's tattoo artists walked in the door instead of his brother.

Corey startled when he saw Frank, but quickly recovered and moved to join him.


"Hey boss, wasn't expecting you today."


Frank shrugged at the younger man.


"What can I say?...I like to surprise people..."


He grinned.


"Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had a couple of spare hours free today to start my new piece. It's gonna be kinda big."


Corey grinned back.


"Actually, I had someone phone and cancel last night..."


He nodded to Mikey as the boy set a large hazelnut latte down in front of him, before returning to cleaning the counter in silence.


"I can fit you in first thing, if ya like?"


Frank grinned wide.


"Yeah, that'd be so cool actually. I have the basic design in my head, but I want your interpretation of it. You up for that?"


Corey nodded enthusiastically.


"You know it!..."


He picked up his drink and slid off his stool.


"Well, I'm gonna go open up. Come over when you're ready..."


He turned to Mikey.


"See ya kid."


He winked, then left the shop. Frank turned back to Mikey and saw that he was blushing.


"Something I should know about Mikey?"


Frank smirked.


"NO!..."


Mikey cried, though his cheeks flushed even darker.


"I...I just..."


Frank laughed.


"Don't worry Mikey, I won't tell him..."


He winked then stood up, finishing his coffee as he did.


"Well, I'll probably pop in later. When your brother turns up..."


"If."


Mikey grumbled despondently. Frank sighed, rolling his eyes slightly.


"When he comes...take a picture on your phone. I want proof he's real."


Frank smiled at Mikey. Mikey smiled back, wryly.


"Sure. If he comes in, I will."


Frank grinned then left, strolling across the road to his shop.



~time passes~


Two and a half hours later, Frank left the shop with a smile on his face and the start of another pretty badass tattoo on his right thigh. Walking into the coffee shop, he saw a considerably happier Mikey behind the counter.

Frank smiled as he joined the short queue and was soon face to face with the 17 year old.


"I take it he turned up?"


Mikey beamed back at him, his head nodding like a bobblehead on speed.


"Yeah..."


He enthused.


"He was here for an hour. You only missed him by five minutes."


Frank grinned.


"See?...I told you he'd come. Now, did you get a photo?"


He raised a slightly sceptical eyebrow. Mikey nodded again and fished his phone from his apron pocket. He turned it on and went to his photos, then scrolled until he found the best picture, before handing the phone proudly over to Frank.


"I told you he's real!"


Frank accepted the phone with a grin, then looked down at the screen. He felt the blood drain from his face and looked up at Mikey with wide eyes.


"This is your big brother?"


Mikey nodded happily.


"Yep..."


He popped the p.


"That's Gerard!"


Frank looked back down in shock. Staring back at him with a big goofy grin and one arm slung comfortably around Mikey's shoulders, was none other than Party Poison.

Now...what are the chances of that?!



Gerard would've happily spent the entire day with his little brother, drinking coffee and sharing their lives (up to a point), but he had things to do and late rent to pay or he'd end up on the streets, and he'd do anything to avoid that happening...again.

After hugging Mikey goodbye and promising that he'd visit again soon, Gerard left the little coffee shop and headed toward the nearest ATM. There was no one around but he was still cautious about using the machine. He still remembered the feeling of that gun in the small of his back last year when some asshole decided to rob him of his last $80. He didn't want a repeat.


Putting his card in the slot, Gerard checked all around, then typed in his code and waited for his balance to appear on the screen. A big happy grin spread on his face when he saw the amount...$9,574.


"Yes!..."


He exclaimed, then nervously checked behind himself. There was no one there, so he pressed the button for withdrawal and took out $3,000...enough to pay his rent, and get a cab home instead of having to walk the 5 miles there. Stuffing the cash and his card into his wallet, Gerard headed back toward Washington avenue to hail a cab. When the old yellow car pulled up, Gerard climbed in the back.


"13 Magnolia Street, please."


The driver grunted a reply then pulled out into traffic.

Gerard stared absently out of the window as they headed across town. He thought about his plans for the day, but was snapped from his internal musings when the driver slammed on his breaks, leapt from the cab and started screaming in some language that Gerard didn't recognise, at another driver who was yelling back at him with a heavy Texas accent. Gerard sighed...he didn't have time for this.


Looking to see where they were, he realised that they were near Clara Maass, and therefore nearly home. The taxi driver's meter read $12.40, so feeling generous, Gerard took $20 from his wallet and posted it through the payment window, then got out and walked away. If the driver realised he was leaving, he said nothing as he continued to scream at the angry Texan man.


Gerard wrapped his coat tight around his thin frame as he made his way back to the decrepit apartment building that was the only place he could actually afford to live in right now. Climbing the front steps and pushing through the door, careful not to cut himself on the smashed glass panel, Gerard was instantly met by Mr. Crantz, his landlord. Was he watching for him out the window?


"Your rent's late, Way. Pay now or you're out!"


Gerard swallowed thickly. He didn't like Crantz, the guy gave him the creeps...always staring.


"I have your money..."


He muttered, pulling out his wallet.


"$2,000 I owe you, right?"


Crantz huffed and snatched the offered money from Gerard's fingers.


"Don't be late again. I won't be so generous next time."


With that, he turned around and disappeared inside his own apartment, number 1, slamming the door behind him.


"Well good day to you too..."


Gerard sassed quietly, then headed up the stairs to his place. Once inside, he locked his door and shivered slightly...if possible, it was actually colder in here than outside.


"Fucking heating!"


He huffed. It was the third time it had broken this year alone. Gerard kept his coat on and headed into his studio space. He put most of his money into the secret compartment under his floorboards, pulled a grey beanie hat onto his head, then picked up his art case and backpack and headed out again.

Belleville Park wasn't that far away, and the grassy patch near the bandstand and cafe were the perfect place for him to set up and maybe sell some of his pieces...that was the plan anyway.

When Gerard reached his preferred spot, he put his backpack down on the grass, then started to take some pictures out of his art case and lay them out around himself. Once he was satisfied, he sat down and opened his backpack. He pulled out a good quality sketchbook and his tin of coloured pencils, then settled down to draw.



By the time Frank left the coffee shop, waving goodbye to Mikey and promising to visit more often (now he had a reason to, though he didn't tell Mikey that), it was getting close to lunch time, so he decided to do something he hadn't done in a while. Entering Belleville Park at the Union Avenue entrance, Frank strolled along the narrow, winding pathways, stopped at a food cart that was selling vegetarian tacos, then continued on his way beneath the beautiful fall trees. He couldn't help but be reminded of the boy from last night, Mikey's brother as it turned out, as he looked at the reds and golds of the season, falling gently all around him.

The taco proved to be pretty tasteless actually, so after just a few bites he dumped the remainder in a trash can and continued to walk. If he remembered correctly, there was a cafe at the other end of the park that served decent food...maybe he'd go there for his lunch instead.



Gerard was a little disappointed that no one was stopping to look at his pictures, but he wasn't too bothered. He had a roof over his head for another month, plenty of art supplies, or at least the money to buy them now, and the knowledge that he wouldn't starve to death any time soon...not that he really ate that much anyway. Life finally seemed to be going his way.



Notes

Hi there chipmunks, how’s you?

So life goes on...mostly.

Until next time...PLEASE COMMENT and peace out babies!
<3

Comments

@Frankie Boy.
Currently updating this only on AO3, as this site seems broken. Glad you like this fic, hope you come over to AO3 to continue reading it.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/13982436/chapters/32193156

I just found this story and I'm so very much in love with it! I really enjoy how you portray all of them, it makes me swoon. I hope to see an update soon! Keep up the good work. :))

Frankie Boy. Frankie Boy.
12/24/19

@IdiotFrerardShipper
Yeah, me too. Don’t worry, I’m determined to finish it.

xxx

AAAAAAAAAA im so happy that you're updating this story again!!!!!

@xoxocass
I’ll try. Glad you like it.

xxx